Environmental nanoparticles are significantly over-expressed in acute myeloid leukemia

Effects of fine particulate matter on bone marrow-conserved hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells: a systematic review

The harmful effects of fine particulate matter ≤2.5 µm in size (PM2.5) on human health have received considerable attention. However, while the impact of PM2.5 on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems has been well studied, less is known about the effects on stem cells in the bone marrow (BM). With an emphasis on the invasive characteristics of PM2.5, this review examines the current knowledge of the health effects of PM2.5 exposure on BM-residing stem cells. Recent studies have shown that PM2.5 enters the circulation and then travels to distant organs, including the BM, to induce oxidative stress, systemic inflammation and epigenetic changes, resulting in the reduction of BM-residing stem cell survival and function. Understanding the broader health effects of air pollution thus requires an understanding of the invasive characteristics of PM2.5 and its direct influence on stem cells in the BM. As noted in this review, further studies are needed to elucidate the underlying processes by which PM2.5 disturbs the BM microenvironment and inhibits stem cell functionality. Strategies to prevent or ameliorate the negative effects of PM2.5 exposure on BM-residing stem cells and to maintain the regenerative capacity of those cells must also be investigated. By focusing on the complex relationship between PM2.5 and BM-resident stem cells, this review highlights the importance of specific measures directed at safeguarding human health in the face of rising air pollution.

Biological Impact of Organic Extracts from Urban-Air Particulate Matter: An In Vitro Study of Cytotoxic and Metabolic Effects in Lung Cells

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) with diameters below 10 µm (PM10) may enter the lungs through inhalation and are linked to various negative health consequences. Emergent evidence emphasizes the significance of cell metabolism as a sensitive target of PM exposure. However, the current understanding of the relationship between PM composition, conventional toxicity measures, and the rewiring of intracellular metabolic processes remains limited. In this work, PM10 sampled at a residential area (urban background, UB) and a traffic-impacted location (roadside, RS) of a Portuguese city was comprehensively characterized in terms of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and plasticizers. Epithelial lung cells (A549) were then exposed for 72 h to PM10 organic extracts and different biological outcomes were assessed. UB and RS PM10 extracts dose-dependently decreased cell viability, induced reactive oxygen species (ROS), decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, caused cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase, and modulated the intracellular metabolic profile. Interestingly, the RS sample, richer in particularly toxic PAHs and plasticizers, had a greater metabolic impact than the UB extract. Changes comprised significant increases in glutathione, reflecting activation of antioxidant defences to counterbalance ROS production, together with increases in lactate, NAD+, and ATP, which suggest stimulation of glycolytic energy production, possibly to compensate for reduced mitochondrial activity. Furthermore, a number of other metabolic variations hinted at changes in membrane turnover and TCA cycle dynamics, which represent novel clues on potential PM10 biological effects.

Polystyrene nanoplastics induce haematotoxicity with cell oxeiptosis and senescence involved in C57BL/6J mice

Nanoplastics (NPs) has become a worrying serious environmental problem. However, the toxicological effects and mechanisms of NPs on hematopoiesis are still unknown. To this end, male C57BL/6J mice were directly exposed to the serial concentration gradient of polystyrene NPs (PSNPs, 0, 30, 60, and 120 μg d), respectively, for 42 days by intragastric administration. Results show that PSNPs were clearly visible in bone tissues, meanwhile, induced the count of major blood indicators (WBC, RBC, and LYM) decreased. H&E staining displayed that exposed to PSNPs can cause hematopoietic damage of BM and extramedullary hematopoiesis in spleen. Flow cytometry result show that the proportion of LSK represented a dose-dependent significantly decreased after PSNPs exposure. Further research found that PSNPs can cause the systemic oxidative stress occurs manifested as MDA accumulated. In addition, as the dose of PSNPs increased, the fluorescence intensity of Keap1 and p53 in femur sections gradually increased, meanwhile, the expression of cell oxeiptosis signal pathway Keap1/PGAM5/AIFM1 and the cell senescence signal pathway p53/p21 was all increased, markedly. Overall, our study demonstrated that PSNPs exposure caused oxidative stress, potentially resulting in cell oxeiptosis and senescence to develop haematotoxicity in C57BL/6J mice.

A bibliometric and visualization analysis on the association between chronic exposure to fine particulate matter and cancer risk

INTRODUCTION

As one of the major pollutants in ambient air pollution, fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) has attracted public attention. A large body of laboratory and epidemiological research has shown that PM_2.5 exposure is harmful to human health.

METHODS

To investigate its association with the commonly observed PM-related cancer, a bibliometric study was performed on related publications from 2012 to 2021 from a macroscopic perspective with the help of the Web of Science database and scientometric software VOSviewer, CiteSpace V, HistCite, and Biblioshiny.

RESULTS

The results indicated that of the 1,948 enrolled documents, scientific productions increased steadily and peaked in 2020 with 348 publications. The most prolific authors, journals, organizations, and countries were Raaschou-Nielsen O, Science of the Total Environment, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and China, respectively. The top five keywords in frequency order were "air pollution," "particulate matter," "lung cancer," "exposure," and "mortality."

DISCUSSION

The toxic mechanism of carcinogenicity was explained and is worthy of further investigation. China and the US collaborated most closely, and it is hoped the two countries can strengthen their collaboration to combat air pollution. There is also a need to identify the components of PM_2.5 and refine the models to assess the global burden of disease attributed to PM_2.5 exposure.

Novel chemical-physical autopsy investigation in Sudden Infant Death and Sudden Intrauterine Unexplained Death Syndromes

Aim: Verify the presence of inorganic nanoparticle entities in brain tissue samples from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)/Sudden Intrauterine Unexplained Death Syndrome (SIUDS) cases. The presence of inorganic debris could be a cofactor that compromises proper brain tissue functionality. Materials & methods: A novel autopsy approach that consists of neuropathological analysis procedures combined with energy dispersive spectroscopy/field emission gun environmental scanning electron microscopy investigations was implemented on 10 SIDS/SIUDS cases, whereas control samples were obtained from 10 cases of fetal/infant death from known cause. Results: Developmental abnormalities of the brain were associated with the presence of foreign bodies. Although nanoparticles were present as well in control samples, they were not associated with histological brain anomalies, as was the case in SIDS/SIUDS. Conclusion: Inorganic particles present in brain tissues demonstrate their ability to cross the hemato-encephalic barrier and to interact with tissues and cells in an unknown yet pathological fashion. This gives a rationale to consider them as co-factors of lethality.

Nanoparticles: Excellent Materials Yet Dangerous When They Become Airborne

Since the rise and rapid development of nanoscale science and technology in the late 1980s, nanomaterials have been widely used in many areas including medicine, electronic products, crafts, textiles, and cosmetics, which have provided a lot of convenience to people's life. However, while nanomaterials have been fully utilized, their negative effects, also known as nano pollution, have become increasingly apparent. The adverse effects of nanomaterials on the environment and organisms are mainly based on the unique size and physicochemical properties of nanoparticles (NPs). NPs, as the basic unit of nanomaterials, generally refer to the ultrafine particles whose spatial scale are defined in the range of 1-100 nm. In this review, we mainly introduce the basic status of the types and applications of NPs, airborne NP pollution, and the relationship between airborne NP pollution and human diseases. There are many sources of airborne NP pollutants, including engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) and non-engineered nanoparticles (NENPs). The NENPs can be further divided into those generated from natural activities and those produced by human activities. A growing number of studies have found that exposure to airborne NP pollutants can cause a variety of illnesses, such as respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders. To deal with the ever increasing numbers and types of NPs being unleashed to the air, we believe that extensive research is needed to provide a comprehensive understanding of NP pollution hazards and their impact mechanisms. Only in this way can we find the best solution and truly protect the safety and quality of life of human beings.

Particulate Matter 2.5 and Hematological Disorders From Dust to Diseases: A Systematic Review of Available Evidence

Particulate matter 2.5 (PM_2.5) in the air enters the human body by diffusion into the blood. Therefore, hematological abnormalities might occur because of these toxic particles, but few studies on this issue have been reported. According to Cochrane guidance, we performed a systematic review on the relationship between exposure to PM_2.5 and the risk of hematological disorders. Ten articles were included in this review. Anemia was found among children and elderly populations with 2- to 5-year PM_2.5 exposure. Young children from mothers exposed to air pollution during pregnancy had a higher incidence of leukemia similar to the elderly. Supporting these data, outdoor workers also showed abnormal epigenetic modifications after exposure to very high PM_2.5 levels. Adults living in high PM_2.5 areas for 2 years were more likely to develop thrombocytosis. Finally, elderly populations with 7- to 8-year PM_2.5 exposure showed increased risks of venous thromboembolism. In conclusion, the associations between PM_2.5 and hematological aberrations among high-risk people with long-term exposure were reported.

Innovative scanning electron microscopic investigation in blood samples of patients affected by leukaemia: A physical-chemical-biological approach

The study proposes an innovative, interdisciplinary observation on blood samples of patients coming from the region Marche (Italy) suffering from acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) by means of a scanning electron microscope coupled with an X-ray microprobe of an Energy Dispersive Spectroscope. A novel protocol of blood preparation was studied and prepared to identify exogenous, potentially toxic foreign bodies coming from an environmental contamination. The results on the four different blood fractions of 38 blood samples (erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets, and plasma) indicate that the circulating blood of leukaemic patients shows the systematic presence of physical contaminants, with a frequency and concentration which are statistically meaningful as compared to the healthy controls. The chemical compositions of the particles were identified as well as the frequency of the elements they were composed of. The analysis of these chemical compositions demonstrated that these patients had undergone a remarkable environmental, occupational, industrial exposure at some time. A possible pathological mechanism based on a nano-bio-interaction between the internalized environmental particulate matter and the blood components is hypothesized and discussed.

Nanopathology and its applications within the forensic discipline

The impact of nanopathology in medicine necessarily involves also the anatomo-pathological diagnostics, because of the current large spread of nanoparticles in the environment and the wide spectrum of correlated human diseases. The main entrance gates of nanoparticles into the body are respiratory inhalation, gastro-intestinal absorption and injection of polluted drugs. In all these cases, their penetration in the lymphatic or blood streams are possible, with subsequent systemic translocation. Different diseases can be generated by nanoparticles exposure, from a direct contact irritation to the onset of granulomatous diseases. Interestingly, they can also act as endocrine disruptors on the autocrine and paracrine systems. At cellular level, nanoparticles can damage the DNA content leading to a subsequent tumorigenesis. In the forensic setting, they can be searched in case of known exposure to inorganic particulate matter or in case of diseases of unknown origin, from granulomatous reactions to foreign inclusions in neoplastic tissues. The combined physical-histopathological studies allow to relate possible environmental/industrial pollution with the pathology and offer a novel tool for forensic investigations, but, overall, they represent new technical evidences for lawyers to present in a court.